Maybe I Ought to Get a PhD

One of my favorite websites is Rate Your Students. It's for us academics who need a place to vent about the hells of our jobs. Until I found this site, I was losing my mind trying to figure out what I was doing wrong. As I discovered, it wasn't me but the students. That alone saved my sanity.

This week, a lot of the entries have been about the end of the year conferences and the hell of job interviews. It really is amazing hearing some of these interviewees complaining about 4/4 teaching loads (four classes in the fall, four in the spring). They are looking for the ideal, lofty positions with 3/3 or even 3/2 schedules so they can focus on their research. To them, teaching is just an annoyance to pay the bills. I wonder what they would think of my 7/6/4 schedule (seven in the fall, six in the spring, and four in the summer)? They would probably shit in their pants as they ran away screaming in the process. The difference between them and me? Besides a higher level of pain toleration on my part, I'm a teacher. I think some of these newly graduated PhDs forget that teaching is a big part of their jobs. They are educating the future of America. Hmm...maybe that's why our country is so fucked up right now. Nah. That's No Child Left Behind, but don't get me started on that rant tonight.

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